Blog
Christmas at Glengarry
Presents from Santa, school kids and a diamond anniversary have made Christmas merrier at Glengarry Village Residential Aged Care.
Dozens of families and friends came together in celebration of Glengarry’s annual Christmas lunch on Thursday the 31th December. All the residents were in their best clothes, wearing paper crowns and breaking Christmas crackers. There was delicious food, a live performance from singer Leyla Nassif and chatter all around.
Jinky Mactal, the recreational activities officer, was the life of the party and had been sitting up and planning since 2 o’clock that morning. She had gone ‘all out’ for the Christmas lunch, and was constantly grabbing more chairs for the increasing number of resident’s guests.
It was well worth the effort according to Jinky, “To get everyone together” she said, “That is the one thing that matters to me”.
Jack and Jill Kindergarten had visited earlier in the day to sing Christmas carols to the residents. The children had been coming weekly to the home to visit those at the home as part of an Intergenerational Program that Glengarry has. The lunch was also special for another reason, it was the 60th wedding anniversary of resident David Wilcken and his wife Bridget. They were given a bunch of orchids by Twilight’s facility manager Margaret Smithson in celebration of their diamond anniversary.
However, they were not the only ones to get presents this Christmas, as local community groups and even the families had donated gifts for the residents. Santa came around with labelled and wrapped gifts for all the residents, with surprises from slippers to novels.
Everyone fell in love with Frankie, the soft hearted giant from Delta Therapy Dog Volunteers that put on antlers and served as Santa’s reindeer. And at the end of the day Frankie was also given a gift from Santa- a juicy bone.
Residents of the memory support wing, ‘Eloura’ had a quiet in the courtyard to enjoy their own Christmas festivities. Student nurses and volunteers catered their lunch with soft music for a relaxing time for the residents.
The food fit the season perfectly with classics like shaved ham and beef with gravy, roast vegetables and peas. Desert was also very popular with residents and families alike with homemade mince pies, fruit cakes and pastries.Jinky and Margaret thanked guests and staff for making the day special for the residents at the end of the lunch. The Christmas lunch has been a long-time tradition of Twilight aged care, to bring people together during the holiday. It is held annually in Glengarry Residential Aged Care Facility as well as throughout all of their four homes in the northern Sydney area.
Christmas at Hunters Hill
It was a jolly time for those at Hunter’s Hill Residential Aged Care Facility, as families, school kids and even Santa himself joined for the festivities!
The community came together to create a merry experience for everyone with carols, presents and festive red and green food. Hunters Hill Public students made the Christmas cards for those staying at the home, and local groups donated raffle prizes and gifts for Santa and the children to give to the residents.
Heilala Galbraithe, a staff member at Hunters Hill said that the event meant that everyone could come together in a family Christmas that all their residents could enjoy. “They are our family too”, she said “like our own grandparents”.
Staff who had the day off, like Heilala herself, still made the trip to the home to join those setting up the lunch festivities. Facility manager, Gladys Maseko, thanked all the relatives and staff for coming and making the day more magical for the residents and their guests.
The Hunters Hill Congregational Community Church choir lead by pastor Julie Grancha, brought music and energy to the day. They had an early show that carried into lunch time, and brought a joyful spirit to the Christmas celebrations with classics like Jingle Bells and Holy Night.
However, the highlight of the day was when George Burns, one of the residents, performed the old Irish balled Danny Boy with Julie and the church choir. It was an emotionally charged moment for his family, as well as staff and residents like Helene Polhill, who recalled the moment, saying it “Brought me to tears”.
The food was catered for by Twilight’s passionate cooks, including Yvette Fonseca, who crafted a feast for those attending. Residents and families enjoyed food like vibrant Christmas coloured panna cotta and chicken puffs- the “all-time-favourite”.
The Christmas lunch has been a long-time tradition of Twilight aged care, to bring people together during the holiday. It is held annually in Hunters Hill Village Residential Aged Care Facility as well as throughout all of their four homes in the northern Sydney area.
LEST WE FORGET Ensuring the stories of our diggers live on…
We are very proud of this wonderful intergenerational community project, LEST WE FORGET Ensuring the stories of our diggers live on…
Thank you to St. Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill for agreeing to be apart of this very special project. Also thank you to Betty and the Wilson family. Betty Wilson chatted two Year 7 students about her husband John and his missions in the war.
This project was supported and funded by DVA – Department of Veterans Affair. Please enjoy as Betty share’s with you her story.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL VERSION
Staying Healthy in the Cooler Months
We have some tips to keep you motivated during these colder months. Staying active especially during the cooler the months is good for the mind, body and spirit.
Winter Warmers from the Twilight Kitchen
With winter fast approaching, there is nothing better than cooking a big pot of soup for the family to enjoy after a busy day at work and school. All of the meals at Twilight Aged Care are home cooked, prepared by the chefs who work in each of the four homes.
Here is one of our resident’s favourites, straight from the Twilight Kitchen, prepared using the freshest of ingredients. Treat your family this Winter with a bowl of Twilight’s Pea & Ham Soup.
We Welcome Margaret to Glengarry
We are thrilled to introduce you to Margaret Smithson, our new Facilities Manager at Glengarry, Mosman.
Margaret has many years experience as a nurse, with extensive experience in General Nursing and Mental Health. Margaret has also held the position of Auditor within the Aged Care sector in the late nineties and moved into aged care management in 2002.
Retirement Village Living
Throughout summer, the retirement living residents have enjoyed their monthly bus trip to bushland areas or to the seaside. This month they have been joined for the first time by a couple of residents from our residential care home.
We hope new friendships and interactions will come out of this and future shared activities.
Recipes from the Twilight Kitchen
As we head towards the end of daylight savings, the change of season and the glorious Autumn weather, our tastebuds are looking for a nice tasty little treat to enjoy with our afternoon tea.
The Twilight Kitchen has a couple of favourites for you to try your hand at over the long weekend.